A local weekend

This weekend we hung around PE, and I couldn't be happier.  We chilled on the roof or beach in the warm sun, read for classes, and chilled. 

On Friday, we celebrated Becka's birthday at Coco de Mer, and then I went to bed early.  I got almost 11 hours of much-needed sleep after a long week.  On Saturday, I worked out in the morning and saw a volleyball net set up on the beach.  I was aching to go play, so I cut my run short and ran out there.  I played a few games of 2 on 2 with people my age and a bit older who go to PE College.  Apparently we will play them next weekend in our tournament.  I was so happy to make some new friends and play volleyball. 

Saturday afternoon I went with some of my flatmates to check out the Cathedral down town.  We heard from previous study-abroaders that it was beautiful.  The building was ok.  I know it is dangerous to compare rather than take things as they are, but I saw it as a less-grand version of Sacred Heart in Eau Claire.  I liked the gospel reading about the Samaritan woman at the well.  It has so many meanings, and a Jesuit who is the chaplain at University of Capetown spoke the sermon.  He was a likable character.  The church also congratulated one of the altar servers for earning her PhD in biochemistry.  It was a funny sensation when most of the servers in the states are young kids. 

After Mass, a friend Lauren, came over to the flat for dinner.  She brought her housemate, Chichi and another friend, Abby.  We had a fabulous time eating pasta, salad, and garlic bread on blankets on the roof looking up at the stars.  After dinner we socialized with the rest of the CSBSJU group in Langerry for a while and went to another flat a few buildings down to a small party there.  We came back around 11 and had girl talk with our guests for a while, and got in bed by 1.  It is so nice to finally have some South African friends after so many weeks of failed attempts.  At least we still have another half of the trip, although I am warned frequently that it will go very fast.

This morning, I ran to the grocery store to get some salad supplies for our group braai tonight and I walked back, stopped at Bargain Books to look for some South African cook books. I found a few titles that I'll check prices online, and decide which ones I want before I leave.  (haha, I am procrastinating writing a paper right now, and I just spent--some may say wasted-- about a half hour looking at cookbooks of the traditional African,. organic, from-the-farm, slow food revolution, etc categories.  What a food nerd =D  It paid off though because I found some of the ones I was looking for for cheaper and they ship free to the US ;) )



When I got back, I spent some more time writing my paper, helped to make the salad, and went for a dip in the ocean quickly before the sunlight ran out with Taylor and Steph, some Bennies on the trip.  I was so, so, so happy in the cool water, letting the waves roll by to shore.  That is about the craziest ride I think I ever want for the rest of my life.  No more roller coasters for me, just let me lay on the top of the water and time my floating so I don't get smacked by a breaking wave.  Today was one of the first times that I really enjoyed the salt water, and I think it was because the waves weren't hectic.  I was able to just relax and float around like I prefer to do in deeper fresh bodies of water. 

Culture for Bruce
Last night, Lauren had some great insight on life, with a memorable saying to boot.  I shared with her a conversation I had with the beach volleyball players Saturday afternoon.  They asked if I had a South African boyfriend yet.  I said no, so they asked if I was married.  I took it to mean that they assumed that every girl should have a boyfriend unless she's married.  Lauren kind of insinuated that for us who are traveling through, we could just date some of the volleyball guys if we wanted, and there is a social coming up that would be prime for introductions.  We asked her if she likes those guys and she explained that she won't date anyone associated with volleyball because she loves to play so much.  She doesn't want to be worried about impressing anyone while she plays or what she looks like while she;s playing.  She wants to devote all of her energy on the court to her passion for the sport.  She also said that when you date someone who everyone else on the team knows, it becomes gossipy and who even wants to think about what happens when the relationship ends.  She summed it up by saying, "I don't poop where I eat."  I love the saying, and I think I will be using it more often.  As far as looking for a relationship with a South African guy while I'm here.  I'm not hopeful or really eager to start that, contrary to some lofty thoughts before I arrived.  I am happy to just be me.  That's enough to figure out.

March Birthday Braai

Taylor and I walked to bio, and after class we walked to the Pic n’ Pay for a few groceries and then took a kombi back.  Thursday afternoon we made a salad from Heather’s South African Salads Cookbook for a braai that night celebrating the March birthdays and Norma and Bruce’s 43^rd wedding anniversary.  We had kudu and warthog skewers, lamb, fruit salads, prickly pear, our spinach and noodle salad that god good reviews, a fabulous custard, crumbled cookie dessert (kind of like a less-chemical version of dirt pie), and warm rolls.

After the braai, I got in my robe and read for class since we’ll be gone all weekend.  I pretty much chilled for the night and went to bed early.

It’s summa’ time baby

Culture Questions for Bruce (Paragraph 1)

It is dangerous to assume.  We walked to campus today for Campus Life Festival which was described to us as the Involvement fair at CSB.  So, we expected tables for each club on campus and sign-up sheets to join their clubs.  What we encountered was much different.  The five biggest societies on campus were having a spirit contest with the new nguni style music we learned about in music class.  There were two parts in each chant/song-- one part in two-time and the opposing part in three-time.  The groups sounded great, but I am quite certain that my ear drums were going to burst and the roof of the athletic complex blow off in order to make space for the resounding pressure and huge energy put forth by the students.  If I had to judge between CSB’s involvement fair and NMMU’s campus life festival, I would say that CSB students do a lot of activities, because it’s busy, but there is not nearly the amount of passion.   At NMMU, students may only do one or two clubs, but there is more vibrancy and energy than I could have fathomed for those activities.  Although I did not find the booth I was looking for today, I found a true sense of the African concept of community, with so many voices raised together.

We took a kombi home from NMMU and went to the pool in the beach-side complex front of Langerry.  For those of you skeptical about my use of the pool while I'm so close to the ocean.  I will briefly explain the luxury of the pool.  There is turf to lie comfortably and sun oneself, without sand slicing up one's bod, alongside sea-water pools that are deep enough to fully submerse oneself without the constant thrashing of waves and fear of riptides.  Taylor and I lay out with the occasional dip in the pool for about four hours.  The best part of the day may be the coconut, banana, rum scented suntan lotion which was gracefully rubbed in without the added grit of sand the prematurely shed skin cells, oooo-wee how I love that smell. It was a lovely time.

We returned to Langerry to make salads for a Braai with Norma and Bruce our directors.  We were treated with chicken, coleslaw, peppadews (spicy little South African jarred peppers), Greek salad, these fabulous little bread rolls that closely resemble the ones from the business Bradley helped to establish in the townships but today’s were grilled on the braai, grilled polenta (my 1^st experiment) and a South African adaptation of the “Snicker salad” (Granny Smith apples, cool whip, and snicker bars) that I shall call the “Tempo salad” (Granny Smith apples, plain yogurt + vanilla extract, Tempo bars= my 2^nd experiment) after the candy bars I used.   We all came back to the room full and quite tired from a day in the sun.

I am reading A Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela’s political auto-biography, and copying some indigenous South African recipes and ostrich recipes before I return my library books next week.  I also had the good fortune of having a long, meaningful, funny, and much-needed convo with my sissy tonight.  Thanks Al :)